Key words and phrases to get comfortable saying Flashcards
Why not? / What’s the harm?
有何不可 (3, 2, 4, 3)
Can’t move an inch / no room for maneuver
寸步难行 (4, 4, 2, 2)
Inextricably linked
密不可分 (4, 4, 3, 1)
Unavoidably
不可避免 (4, 3, 4, 3)
Means / implies / follows that ….
意味着 (4, 4, 0)
Why are you being so aggressive?
你何必咄咄逼人？(3, 2, 4, 1, 1, 1, 2)
Not necessarily (implies not likely)
不见得 (4, 4, 0)
In other words….
换句话说。。。(4, 4, 4, 1)
Let alone / not to mention
别说 (2, 1)
Not essential
可有可无 (3, 3, 3, 2)
As it should be (by rights)
理所当然 (3, 3, 1, 2)
A long way from solved
远未解决 (3, 4, 4, 2)
Almost sure…
几乎可以预测到。。。
Precise
精确 (1, 4)
Perhaps
或许 (4, 3)
Can say for certain
能肯定地说
Not enough time
来不及
Getting more and more serious
越演越烈 (4, 3, 4, 4)
Let it be / forget it
算了 (4, 0)
What’s going on? / How did that happen?
怎么回事？
No problem / it’s already settled
没说的
No, no, you flatter me (denying praise)
哪里，哪里，不敢当
Differing only on the details
大同小异
Let’s go
走吧！(3, 0)
You’re too kind
您太客气了。
你对我太好了。 (N.B. This really needs the ‘duiwo’ otherwise it sounds sarcastic)
The phrases comes from (English]
从【英文】过来的
Sorry for your loss (lot. Please grieve)
请节哀 (3, 2, 1)
He wants to walk not go in pushchair
他不想坐娃娃车，他要自己走路。
i hold his hand
我牵着他的手
He needs to use up his energy!
他需要消耗精力!
That’s very ambitious
你想的太乐观了
Thank you for your hospitality
谢谢您的款待
Express sympathy to….
对。。。表示哀悼
向。。。。慰问 (4, 4, 4)
Not necessarily
不必
不一定
不见得
Since/as/this being the case
既然
既是
All along / never
从来
从来不 (never ever)
从来没 (never yet)
One more year Vs More than a year
多一年
一年多
It’s possible (i.e. you can’t say there won’t…)
说不定
他说不定已经回家了。
Talk as if
说的好像是
Repeat
重复
Repeat = 重复 (chongfu)
You can use 重 and 复 separately as prefixes to mean ‘ re’ with slightly different meanings:
重: To do something again, without necessarily intending to have done it again, e.g. this is wrong, rewrite it. 重做、重写
复: To do something again because that is the plan, e.g. do the next exam in the sequence (use chong in this case and you mean that you failed and need to repeat it). 复试、复查
Unexpectedly, it turns out
竟然
居然
Not to mention
别说
别说是
No wonder
难怪
+ 原来。。。难怪。。。（e.g. 原来你是中国人，难怪你中文说得那么好）
Anyhow
反正 (often used with 不管)
As far as X goes….
就。。。而言
Almost (with a negative meaning - almost failed exam)
差点 （他差点没通过考试）
To do something in vain
白+verb+了
Why should (there is no need)
何必
It goes without saying
不言而喻
If not for….
要不是。。。
What if。。。
万一。。。
First toil then reward
先苦后甜
No pain, no gain
没有苦，没有甜
Pot shouldn’t call the kettle black
五十步，笑百步
Blind men touching the elephant
盲人摸象
As the name implies
顾名思义
On the contrary…
相反…
One situation, two sides
一体两面
I can’t compare to him/you
我比不过他/你
I don’t care
不在乎
Doesn’t exclude the possibility of….
Doesn’t exclude any possibilities
不排除。。。。的可能性
不排除任何的可能性
We will (continue to) pursue an investigation
我们会（继续）追踪调查
I promise you
我答应你 (informal)
我承诺您 (formal)
I am honoured （to participate in…)
我很荣幸 (能参加。。。）
Or 。。。不胜荣幸
I owe this all to….
这。。。都归功(1, 1)于。。。。
The situation is getting better/worse everyday
这个情况一天比一天（不）好
Is that a problem?
那是问题吗？
I would like to inquire about….
我想查询一下。。。
Is there anything else (imp. you need from me)?
还有别的事吗？
Can’t say for sure
说不定
Talking about….
说到。。。
说起。。。
I haven’t thought about it/haven’t considered it
没有想过
Under normal circumstances
一般情况下
Relatively speaking
相对来说
No kidding!
可不是！
As for your question….
至于你的问题。。。。
Take England for example
就拿英国来说
What’s so bad about that?
这有什么可惜呢？
I agree, but on condition that….
我同意，不过取决于。。。
From the point of view of (formal)
对。。。而言
A is very familiar / unfamiliar to me
我对 A 很陌生 / 很熟悉
What are you doing?
你在干什么？
On the one hand…. on the other hand….
一方面。。。另一方面。。。。
Openly state
公开说明
We don’t regard China as an adversary
我们不是把中国视为对手
At the same time
与此同时
This is completely unacceptable (behaviour)
是完全不可接受【的行为】
As the Foreign Secretary said
正如外交大臣所说【的】
Diplomatic consequences will follow
外教后果随着而来
Makes people shocked
让人很傻眼 (cannot use just as I am…. Has to be something making someone shocked)
Overreaction
反应过度 or. 过度反应 （4, 4, 3, 4)
Stand with/together
站在一起
Close contact
紧密联系
密切联络
So far as we can/as much s we can (for e.g. we’ll do all we can to help)
力所能及
Large strides towards…
大步走向。。。
Guiding principle
指导原则
Resolutely oppose
坚决反对
This issue is of highest importance (or very high)
这个问题值得高度重视
Increase x ability
提升。。。能力 most formal, mean a result
加强。。。能力 good to use, for an action rather than the result
提高。。。能力 informal, for a situation changing
增加。。。能力 informal for a situation changing
A fine line
一线之隔
To see X as Y
将。。。X。。。视为。。。Y。。。
Universal values
普世价值观
International stage
国际舞台
Take a transparent approach
持透明的态度
All hypotheses are still on the table
假设都仍在研究中
Nothing at all
什么都没有
Take responsibility
负起责任
On a case by case basis
个别处理
security concerns
对安全存在关切
Keep x safe
确保。。。的安全
That said / returning to our main topic
话说回来
Turn a blind eye
视若无睹
Have to stay an extra week
得多留一个星期
Cannot respond
打不还手，骂不还口
I can’t comment on what they said
我不能针对他们的言论发表看法
Coexist responsibly
负责任共存
Like (as in similar to) China
像中国这样
Repeatedly point to
一贯提到
In a very unusual situation
处于非常时期
Aside from the internal/external factors
除了 外在/内在 因素之外
New heights
前所未有的高度
In addition to this, apart from this,
除此之外
Unfortunately
不幸的是
We are clarifying (the situation)
我们正在厘清（这个情况）
At the last minute
最后是一分钟
Permitted under international law
在国际法律允许的。。。下
Repeatedly
反复
Or for emphasis 反反复复
Fear this situation will persist
恐怕仍将持续
(still) not enough
【还】不足以
To hold X accountable
向 X 究责
Greatly concern about….
。。。高度关切
In the face of (this global danger),
面对（全球威胁），
If…. It will have irreversible results
如果。。。会造成不可逆转的后果
X is happening, y is happening, z is happening (for emphasis)
X 正在 。。。Y 正在。。。Z正在。。。
X is the direct cause of y
X is the indirect cause of y
X 是 y 的直接原因
X 是 Y 的间接原因
x sharpened y conflict
X 加剧了 Y 竞争
It’s not to late
为时不晚
Support for X
对于。。X。。的支持
对于香港人权的支持
Our position will never change
英国的立场始终不改变
Mitigate X risk
分散。。X。。风险
Adopt measures
采取措施
It is one part of our wide ranging work
把它作为我们广泛工作的一部分
To report to x
向。x。提交报告
As long as it is
只要它是
Add hail on top of snow
雪上加霜
In view of / seeing that
鉴于
Maintain open lines of communications
保持沟通渠道畅通
We need to put things in perspective
从宏观的角度来看
The ambassador will present prizes
英国大使会亲自颁发奖品
Under x leadership
在 x 主导下
Purposes and principles
宗旨和原则
Play a constructive role
发挥建设性作用
I am proud to announce
我很自豪地宣布
Reconsider
重新考虑
Raise awareness of
提高对。。。的意识
If (means on the precondition that)
前提
I will need to consult my team
我需要跟我的团队咨询
There is no doubt
毫无疑问
As far as I know
据我所知
I have a few misgivings about….
关于。。。有一些的顾虑
About this behaviours (polite)
对于这样的行为
Contribute to the UK
为英国做出贡献
Has happened before
发生过
Draw a lesson from a setback
吸取教训
In a nutshell
简而言之
Not ruling out
不排除
Disinformation
虚假信息
De-risk
Reduce risk
去除风险
减少风险
Resilient / tough
坚强
Keep eyes open
擦亮眼睛
Even….is affected
连。。。都被波及。(the sentence structure is with 都 or 也）
Based on （Standing in the same place)
立足于
Judicial / legal processes
司法程序
We remain committed to…
我们致力于。。。
Mutually beneficial
互惠
First priority
优先事项 (on a country level add 总体 at the start)
Targeted measure
有针对性的 (insert descriptor here) 行动
Express serious concerns over this alleged incident
对该指称事件表示严重关切
Run the risk of x
冒着。。。。的风险
Having heard your assurances
在听到您的保证后
Differential treatment
差别待遇
Within a certain time
在一段时间内
Temperature increase
升温
News bubble / echo chamber
信息茧房
Unpreventable, unpredictable, act of god
不可抗力
The more it is debated the clearer it becomes
越辩越明
Not in proportion
A 不和 B 成比例
Sense of moral responsibility
道义责任的感觉
This made us really shocked
这让我们感到震惊
Doesn’t reassure me
无法让我安心
Ensure this doesn’t happen again
保证这种事情不再发生
A similar situation could harm China’s reputation
类此的情况可以损害中国的名誉
Wish you good luck
祝你好运
We feel on behalf of
我们为他们感到
That’s a question for historians
这是历史学家的问题
We reached an agreement with China
我们和中国达成共识
I appreciate your willingness to take the time to discuss this with me. . .
我很感谢您愿意花时间跟我讨论。。。
